Latest Area News Headlines

WORTHINGTON – Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Chancellor Steven Rosenstone on Wednesday recommended Dr. Terry Gaalswyk to take over as president of Minnesota West Community and Technical College, a position with an anticipated start date of July 1. Gaalswyk will take over the reins from Dr. Barbara McDonald, who has served as the interim president since the retirement of Dr. Richard Shrubb in July 2014.

During the same MnSCU Board of Trustee meeting, Rosenstone recommended McDonald for the presidency of North Hennepin Community College.

WORTHINGTON – The Nobles County Commissioners on Tuesday accepted a bid for $420,095 from Schwickert’s Tecta America LLC of Mankato, to replace the HVAC and heating system in the War Memorial Library Building. According to Nobles County Administrator Tom Johnson, the bids came in significantly higher than the engineer’s estimate, which was approximately $350,000.

Johnson said they spoke to 18 different companies, and believes they don’t think they can do better by waiting. Commissioner Marv Zylstra said for the last three years the system has gone down for at least a week each...

WORTHINGTON - The Worthington Chamber of Commerce is teaming up with the University of Minnesota Extension to determine opportunities available for retail businesses in the area. A tool, called the Retail Trade Analysis or RTA report, utilizes sales tax data from Worthington and Nobles County to tabulate an historical overview of retail businesses in the area.

The RTA program also reveals what types of retail businesses might be beneficial to residents. Neil Linscheid, Extension Educator in Community Economics, will present the results of the 2013 Worthington RTA report from 5:30...

WORTHINGTON - The 2015 racing season at the Nobles County Speedway is set to begin Tuesday, June 2.

This Tuesday, a Test n Tune event will be the first opportunity for racing fans to see what the track has to offer. On the official opening night the theme will be Salute to Ag and admission will be free. The lineup will be IMCA modifieds, stock cars, sport modifieds, hobby stocks and sport compacts.

This year, with a few exceptions, most of the weekly race nights will be on Tuesdays, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

WORTHINGTON – Josue Robles Fraga, who has twice been convicted for the murder of his 2-year-old niece Samantha, is back in the Nobles County Jail and appeared in court Friday afternoon for a bail hearing.

The Minnesota Supreme Court recently reversed Fraga’s 2013 first-degree murder conviction and remanded the case back to Nobles County District Court for a new trial based on juror bias. This will be Fraga’s third go-round at trial, having been convicted for Samantha’s murder in 2009. That conviction was set aside when new evidence was brought forward.

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Board of Animal Health today announced its directive to cancel all bird exhibitions at county fairs, the State Fair, and other gatherings of birds. The Board’s directive is effective through the end of 2015 and also prohibits birds from being included in swap meets, exotic sales, and petting zoos.

Since March 5, 2015, nearly 90 Minnesota farms have been impacted by H5N2 highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The purpose of the Board’s directive is to minimize the risk of potential further spread of the virus. The risk to the public related to H5N2 HPAI is...

WORTHINGTON – A broadside crash Thursday morning on Minnesota 60 and Nobles Street resulted in non-life threatening injuries, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The report states Andrew Boneschans, age 25, of Bigelow, was northbound on 60 in a 1987 Dodge Ram pickup, while Bobbi Becker, age 44, of Worthington, was westbound on Nobles Street. The vehicles collided in the intersection. Both were taken to Sanford Worthington Medical Center by ambulance.

WORTHINGTON - Applications are now available for youth sports and recreation groups to request funds from The Wayne Klumper Heals Fund. These funds were raised by local individuals participating in the Radio Works/SW Minnesota Fishing Club’s Deep Freeze Dip during Worthington’s Winterfest Celebrations 2014 and 2015.

The money will go to youth programs for Nobles County kids to get out and participate in, much like Wayne Klumper did with children of Nobles County in all of his years as Program Director at the Worthington Area YMCA.

WORTHINGTON – A man who allegedly attacked his wife and adult daughter with a hammer Sunday evening was charged Tuesday with two counts of first-degree attempted murder and two counts of first-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

Dessalegne Fissiha Desta, age 61, of Worthington, appeared in Nobles County District Court Tuesday for a bail hearing in front of Judge Gordon Moore, who explained the charges and his rights. When asked by Moore if he understood the charges, Desta said the crimes he was being charged with and what he had done were not the same at all.

WORTHINGTON – A man who allegedly attacked his wife and adult daughter with a hammer Sunday evening was charged Tuesday with two counts of first-degree attempted murder and two counts of first-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

Dessalegne Fissiha Desta, age 61, of Worthington, appeared in Nobles County District Court Tuesday for a bail hearing in front of Judge Gordon Moore, who, through the use of an interpreter, explained the charges and his rights. When asked by Moore if he understood the charges, Desta said the crimes he was being charged with and what he had done were not...